GUIDELINES FOR THE RESEARCH PROJECT
OF THE PhD PROGRAM IN LAW
1. The research project
1.1. By the end of the first course and in order to pass the annual evaluation, doctoral
students shall submit a research project that proves the ability to develop a doctoral
dissertation. The project shall contain a description of the chosen topic and its
relevance, the working hypothesis, the description and goals of the main parts of the
thesis, the methodology, the planning for the development of the thesis, as well as an
indicative table of contents and bibliography.
1.2. The project must not exceed 95,000 characters with spaces, i.e., about thirty-five
A4 pages, in Times New Roman 12, spacing 1.5.
1.3. With regard to the style, it is recommended to follow the Style Guidelines for
Research Papers, available on the website of the doctoral program.
1.4. The project may be written in Catalan, Spanish or English. Other languages may be
used if authorized by the doctoral program coordinator.
2. The Director of the research project
21. The research project is carried out under the supervision of the thesis supervisor.
Within six months since the start of the program, doctoral students ought to submit the
written consent of the professor who accepts to be the supervisor.
2.2. The thesis supervisor agrees to hold at least three tutoring sessions with the student
throughout the drafting of the research project. The supervisor shall, in its case,
authorize the defense of the project.
3. Evaluation of the research project
3.1. Students must submit two printed copies of the research project, as well a copy in
PDF format by e-mail, together with the supervisor’s consent for the project to be
defended to the Department’s secretariat, within the set deadline. Students must as well
upload the project in the computer application for monitoring the doctoral thesis.
3.2. The research project will be assessed by a committee composed of three professors
from the Law Department. The committee members shall be appointed by the
coordinator of the doctoral program.
3.3. The defense will develop as follows: the students will have fifteen minutes to
briefly present the project. Next the committee members will make comments and
questions in order to better assess the project and provide guidance. Students will then
answer the questions.
3.4. Once the session is over, the committee shall notify the qualification of pass / fail to
the students, and such qualification will be reflected in the session minutes.
3.5. The act of the defense is open to the public.
4. Schedule
4.1. The research project must be submitted by the 27th of May 2016. Later submissions
will not be accepted.
4.2. The oral defense of the research project will take place during the month of June of
the corresponding academic year.
4.3. If the research project does not pass the defense, the annual assessment will be
negative. Doctoral students will then be allowed to defend their research project again
within a period of six months. Students who fail the second assessment will be
dismissed from the doctoral program.